


For The Ones That Are Lost

by Prrrrmm



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Gladnis, M/M, Mentioned Noctis, Mentions of Suicide, Multi, Past Torture, Promnis - Freeform, This is pretty angsty, World of Ruin, later there will be some violence, mentioned promptis, past polyship roadtrip, promptio, prompto is dealing with a lot even if he doesn't wanna talk about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-02-23 00:21:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13178355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prrrrmm/pseuds/Prrrrmm
Summary: Things always get worse before they get better. And for Prompto, things get much worse. Thankfully he has understanding boyfriends.





	1. Prologue - Those of a Lonely Sort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Recipeh_for_Success](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Recipeh_for_Success/gifts).



> I didn't want my only story that I put up to be that Gladnis Coffee one so I went ahead and decided to put this up! I have been working on this for a while actually. I have a lot written, but I figured I can slowly start putting it up and see what everyone thinks! I'll update weekly on this story!

* * *

 

Things had gone to hell. There was too much blood and too many panicked thoughts to make sense of what had happened. What Prompto could make out was that Ignis was dying, and it was his fault.

 

* * *

 

It had been almost three years since Noctis had been dragged into the crystal, three long agonizingly lonely years. No one was honestly okay. How could they be with the entire reason they were there, gone? That didn't mean that they could stop pretending to be okay though. There hadn't been any time to really mourn or lick wounds, too much to be done. Too many people needed saving, too many daemons to be killed, not enough time to fall apart at the seams.

Gladio had taken off first, not even a year after Noctis had gone. No one was surprised really, he was loyal to a fault, but now that his main charge was no longer in need of protecting, his family came first. When Gladio shrugged in a sort of apology, Prompto had sent him off with a smile, hoping that it was enough and that he wouldn’t feel the sting of anxiety and loneliness later on. He did. Even when Gladio had come to visit them once a month, it wasn’t the same. Everything was strained now, pulled too many directions like taffy he and Noct had once bought at a fair. But he tried, Six did he try, to make it work. It’s hard when everyone else is moving on, doing things that make it seem like they don’t struggle just to get out of bed in the mornings. One of the hardest blows to Prompto’s lonely life was when Gladio stopped coming by. Prompto assumed it was because there was nothing there for him anymore, now that Ignis was gone as well.

In his defense, Ignis had stayed a little longer than Prompto thought he would. He suspected it was to make sure that Prompto wasn’t actually broken or three breathes away from chucking himself over a cliff. Either he was a better actor than he gave himself credit for, or Ignis really truly believed that he was okay because he left a half a year after Gladio. He went to Lestallum, something had come up, and if anyone could decipher what it meant, it was Ignis. Prompto supposed he had been doing alright on his own. Of course, there were the nightmares that came every time he closed his eyes and the absolute terror that came with being left alone with his thoughts for too long, but it could always be worse. Ardyn could be there. Not that Prompto was really sure that he wasn’t there. Sometimes he would catch a smell, of old earth and drying blood and he’d freeze. He’d grow numb, and he’d shake as if he could never get warm again. Words would come unbidden then, creeping in like vines and whispering things Prompto could never shake from his mind. Reminders that it wouldn't be long until the time he and Noct had been friends would be overtaken by the time Noct had been gone. Prompts have to remind himself that he had been saved, saved by those that loved him and cherished him that not even Ardyn could make it seem like three years had passed.

Surely.

Hopefully.

Cindy was a welcome distraction from the thoughts that came more often than not. She wasn't Noct, he couldn't love her now. Before? Sure. Now, they spent their time efficiently. Cindy encouraged his technophile tendencies and taught him how to work on cars or other machinery. When there was nothing to work on and sending him out on mundane tasks wasn't enough, there were hunts. In a way it helped, to know that somewhere someone else desperately needed him. That was the world they lived in these days. So off Prompto would go, taking care of hunts and rescues- anything to be useful and not broken. Anything to cure some of the pain inside. Anything to be who he was before.

When year three was drawing close, on his way back one from a particularly hard hunt, a call from Vyv was a surprise. In the world today, not many people cared for pictures. Prompto himself hadn’t touched his camera in over a year, it sat where he left it on the small dresser given to him by Cid when he took the back room of the shop. But Vyv wasn’t paying him for photo’s in a magazine anymore, this was a recon mission. A simple in and out, take a picture of a Ronin type daemon for the Glaives stationed in Lestallum. So, Prompto made his way back to Hammerhead, dusted his camera off and packed up to leave. He would have to stop by Lestallum first, gather supplies that could only be found there and hopefully get more information from the Glaives on what to expect. He would be useful, he would be okay. Prompto could always hope anyways.

A wave goodbye to Cindy and he was gone, already tired in ways that no twenty-three-year-old should be.


	2. And Then There Were Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are great. Things are fine. Not really, something that should be easy is now more complicated than needed. Ignis decided to tag along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh thank you for reading you guys! And! Happy New Years y'all!!

Prompto arrived in Lestallum at dusk, or what would have been dusk in the days the sun rose for more than a few hours at a time. Now it was just dark. He was tiredly making his way through the crowded streets, trying not to flinch anytime someone brushed to close to him. His goal was the Leville, to catch up on some sleep before heading out. He hadn’t bothered to sleep when returning back to the garage and now he was feeling it. Too tired to really care anymore, Prompto had taken to wandering in the direction that felt right and huffed out a quiet breath when he once again hit a dead end alley. Prompto rubbed his eyes under his thick-framed glasses with frustration.

“Prompto?”

Starting at the sound of his name, Prompto turned- his hand already going for his gun. He only dropped his hand when he saw Ignis standing behind him, head cocked and a hand on his hip. “Ignis, hey buddy!” Prompto grinned and jogged the few steps separating them. “What are you doing here?”

Ignis cocked a brow above his tinted glasses, and for a moment Prompto was sure he would not answer at all. And then, a smile which was wholly Ignis tugged at his lips. “Well, I do live here. I had heard one of my friends were in town and had yet to come and say hello. On my way home, I saw you.” Ignis’s lips twitched again, and Prompto snorted a laugh.

“Really?”

“Prompto you know me, I never pass up a chance to make a joke. Now, would you like to come to dinner at my place? I always seem to make too much.”

His kindness was too much, Prompto thought to himself with a wry smile. “Who could turn down an invitation to your cooking?” Together they walked back to Ignis’s apartment, comfortable in the silence that came. Prompto was pleased to see the way the man had adapted himself to the town, leading the way through the least congested paths. Ignis had always adapted well, no matter what came his way. He chose to stay in Lestallum, to not because he had to but because there were plenty of fighters these days. Ignis was needed to decipher old reports and maps, anything that could help someone. A frown overtook Prompto’s face thinking of the hardships the others had gone through over the years. It wasn’t fair the way things happened, not for them or anyone else who lived on this planet.

“Stop it.”

Prompto started for the second time that night and looked at Ignis with wide eyes. “Stop what?”

“That thing you do, where you think too much and too hard.”

“I’m not-”

“Prompto.”

Prompto shut his mouth quickly. It had been a long time since Ignis had used that voice on him. Ignis sighed and held open his door for Prompto. When had they arrived? Prompto kept his mouth shut as he followed Ignis inside. It was silent for a while, something Prompto a few years ago would have been aching to fill. Now he allowed it to continue, warily watching Ignis as he went about pulling out pans and pots with a quickness that showed familiarity in his surroundings. He hadn’t come to visit Ignis in a while and took the time to look around the small apartment. It was nothing like what Ignis had had in Insomnia, in fact, it was more reminiscent of Prompto’s own place. Or, what his apartment had been before being buried in the rubble.

“I’m sorry for being so hard on you. I know that despite everything, I still am.” Ignis’s voice broke through Prompto’s thoughts, and his eyebrows shot up. It wasn’t often one heard Ignis like this. He was measuring water into a cup, a finger tipped inside to feel when it got to the fullness it needed to be. “I’m aware that I never really stopped mothering you, not that you needed it. But it gives me relief to do it to someone. I need it. So, I would appreciate it if you let me.”

Prompto hesitated, wanting to say something. Ignis spoke again instead, “Have you been well? You haven’t been doing anything too dangerous, I hope.”

Prompto bit back a laugh that would have come out far more bitter than he wanted to subject Ignis to. “Yeah, I’ve been fine. Busy, but nothing too dangerous.” It was a lie, Prompto took hunts on that had ended with him dragging himself back to Hammerhead more dead than alive more than once. Ignis didn’t need that worry though. Ignis seemed satisfied though, and he allowed the conversation to dissolve into nothing. When the food was ready, they sat at Ignis’s small table, and Prompto couldn’t help the smile that came. It had been a while since he had had Ignis’s cooking.

As if sensing Prompto’s thoughts, Ignis spoke again after a bite of food. “Prompto,we would love if you came by or called more often. It’s worrying how often we go without knowing...” He trailed off, letting Prompto fill in the rest.

Biting his lip, Prompto ignored the concern directed at him to ask a question that had been on his mind. “Gladio comes by often then?”

It was Ignis’s turn to hesitate, and Prompto felt a numbness wash over him. He had expected this. Why should they give up on each other just because he had given up on himself? “Gladio moved in with me shortly after I moved here myself. He’s here when he isn’t off doing his own business. He should be back in a few days.”

“Honestly, it is almost laughable just how forgettable you are. Do you think they remember at one time there were four in love, not just two with a Noctis sized hole?”

Prompto flinched and flicked his eyes to the corner of the room. There leaning casually against the wall was Ardyn, a casual smile stretching almost into something feral. It didn’t matter how much time had passed, Prompto’s initial reaction to seeing the man who had single-handedly destroyed countless lives was always panicked. Prompto’s breath came quickly, a quiet hiss between his teeth as he gripped his fingers into his palm hard enough to draw blood.  _ You’re not real _ , he thought violently, willing the man to leave. Ardyn laughed lowly, a sound that nearly drew a groan of fear from Prompto. Then he was gone. Breathing hard through his nose, he willed his heart to slow down. In all, the entire exchange had been ten seconds top. It was enough.

“Prompto?” Of course, Ignis would hear him breathing hard, the man missed nothing.

“Ah, nothing Iggy, sorry!” Prompto said, willing the shaking in his voice to be hidden by the smile he forced onto his face. It was a tactic he had used often- something to make you sound happier than you were. Prompto had no doubt Ignis was aware of this.

“Prompto, please remember that we have been friends for more than a few years now and I would like to think I know you reasonably well. Have you ever talked about it? What Ar-”

Prompto was up, pushing away from the table in an instant.  _ “Please _ .” He wasn’t sure if he was pleading for him not to say the name or pleading not to ask him to talk. Either way, Ignis left the question hanging ready for an answer. Prompto groaned quietly but remained standing. “No offense but who exactly am I supposed to talk to? What is there to talk about?”

Ignis sighed, “When you are ready, you may always come to me. I am sure Gladio holds the same sentiment. But perhaps bed is the right course of action for now? You sound exhausted.”

He wouldn’t argue with that, and so he offered to help with washing dishes, but Ignis waved him off with a smile and pointed him in the direction of his bathroom. “Please wash before you climb into my bed.”

Prompto smiled, yet another thing he wouldn’t argue with. Lestallum always had the best water pressure, something that was sorely missed when he was at Hammerhead. So he scrubbed what felt like years of grime off of his body, allowing some time to simply be. He tilted his head back into the spray, letting thoughts and fears flow down the drain. When he was done, Prompto made his way to the only bedroom in the apartment. It was customary for him to sleep in there with Ignis, but the last time he had been by was almost half a year ago. Prompto stood in the doorway, frozen for a moment as he tried to decide if he should go in. Ignis was already asleep on his side with his glasses folded carefully on the bedside table. He had thoughtfully left a lamp on for Prompto so he could see his way to the bed, and in the dim light, Prompto could see the scarring marring the other man's face.

He cautiously stepped into the room, silent as possible to keep from waking Ignis. Settling in beside him, his own glasses put aside, Prompto took a moment to look at the man who had once been as familiar as his own body. Without thinking, Prompto reached out to trace the scar with soft fingertips but flinched back before he could actually do it. Ignis was not known for being a heavy sleeper, even less so now he could only rely on hearing alone. It would not be good for Ignis to wake up to someone running their fingers over his face if he wasn’t used to it.

Ignis used the thick shades to hide the scar, but Prompto had never thought it hideous. He sighed in quiet contemplation, “Imperfections can be breathtaking too, I wish you could see it too.”

Sleep was something Prompto rarely got on a good day when he was alone in his own bed with no one to hear him wake up gasping. Sleeping was not something he liked to do around others. So, he pulled his phone out and scrolled through past messages from everyone. Days when group messages were frequent and often riddled with jokes and memes. Prompto knew the texts by heart, but there was something in him that ached to see the words with his own eyes, to see once Ignis really had sent a cat video or Gladio once wrote an entire poem to the group. It was vital for him to see these things, to know it wasn’t all made up in his head. He chose tonight to stay away from the photos on his phone or the texts he had with Noctis, the last one from the day in Altissia. There in these messages were so many things- hopes and dreams, laughter from a time before the world fell at their feet.

Prompto sighed when he realized it was almost three in the morning. He hadn’t slept before coming, and he knew, though he might not like it, he needed to rest now. To go on a dangerous hunt with three hours of sleep was stupid enough, but to go with no sleep at all would be downright fatal. With a sigh, he tucked his phone under his pillow and allowed sleep to pull him under.

Thankfully, what dreams visited him that night left no lingering visions when he woke to the sound of his alarm the next morning. He sat up quickly, looking around the room before relaxing. He was in Ignis’s room. No need to panic. Though it was Ignis’s room, the man himself was not there. His side of the bed was made, and the door cracked to the room. Prompto could smell the barest hint of coffee in the air. Stretching his stiff muscles, Prompto slipped from the covers and made them match the other side. Slipping his thick-framed glasses back on, he padded down the hallway to the kitchen living room area.

“Good morning, I trust you slept well?” Ignis called from where he was pouring a cup of coffee. Prompto made a sound he hoped sounded chipper and slipped around the counter to grab coffee for himself.

“What are you doing up so early Iggy?” Prompto asked after taking his first scalding gulp. “I had hoped to accompany you to Glacial Grotto, oh don’t give me that look, I may be blind, but I am not deaf. I know Vyv asked you to head there for the Glaives.” Ignis took his sip of coffee much slower, allowing Prompto time to argue but there was nothing to say. Maybe at one time, he would have felt confident going into the Grotto alone, but that was before Noct, and the sun had gone away. He could only imagine how daemon-infested the place would be now.

“If you are not adverse to the idea, perhaps some breakfast?”

It was a quick affair leaving the pair heading out at 6:30. If all went well, they would be at the Grotto in a few hours.

 


	3. Who am I kidding, I’m sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto and Ignis have a rough time of it but at least Gladio makes an appearance finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh, well. Here we are with the third and final chapter. Thank you SO much to my two wonderful friends, Ang who convinced me to write this in the first place and stayed up super late with me just talking this stuff out with me. It means the world to me. And of course, thank you to Mils who kept my spirits up when I really wanted to just quit this and give up. Y'all are the best. Also, bless my wonderful wifey Teddy who listened to me whine about this and gave me plot ideas. Thank you guys, and thank you to everyone who has read this.  
> Chapter title comes from a song called Stronger Than Ever by Raleigh Ritchie which was kind of what I jammed to to write this last bit!

 

The drive had there had been nice, wonderful even. There was much to catch up on and Prompto was happy, if not a little jealous of how well Ignis and Gladio were getting on. Ignis had naturally asked for all the details in Prompto’s life. Prompto was relieved that Ignis didn’t press to hard for details when Prompto’s own retellings didn’t have much substance about himself and told much more about the others they considered friends. The hike to the Grotto took concentration considering the uneven ground and the demons that Prompto decided to skirt around. No sense in fighting and wasting supplies when you could need them for a much bigger fight later. Still, when there were no demons around, Prompto found himself falling back into the comfortable bask of being with one of the ones he loved and cared for. It was nice, safe even. The way to the cave was filled with cheerful chatter and Prompto was reminded of better times, when there were two more voices that would join the conversation. It hurt, deep down, not knowing if that was ever something that could happen again. Regardless, he truly was happy to have Ignis all to himself. The man had a calming presence to him and Prompto took solace in that. Inside the cave was a different matter though.

Talking was less, fighting was more. They weren’t given the exact location of the Ronin and clearing out the cave was the best way to find it. Fighting with Ignis was as it always was, fluid. Being blind had never changed that for the man.  Not even his stamina had changed making Prompto wonder how often he went on hunts with Gladio or the other glaives. Overall, the fights went well only a few potions needed here and there for cuts just a little too deep for comfort but not life threatening. As they grew closer to the area that once held the Sword of the Wanderer, Ignis slowed his steps and Prompto took it as it was. A chance to rest.

He was tired anyways, the few hours of sleep he had gotten the night before were nice but not enough to catch up on what he needed. He huffed loudly and sat heavily on one of the larger rocks. “I’m chilling for a moment Iggy, I’m guessing that daemon is in there and I want to catch my breath before trying to sneak in there.”

Ignis nodded but didn’t say anything for a few moments. Prompto shoved his glasses on the top of his head and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands before sighing heavily.  “What’s up Iggy? You’ve got something on your mind so spill it.”

A breath of a laugh but no denial. After that it was silent again while Ignis put his thoughts into order. “I had a question for you, if you would allow me to ask it.”

“When have I ever been able to stop you of anything?” Prompto snorted but looked up sliding his glasses back down to his nose. Ignis was looking at him intently and Prompto shrank slightly. This was a serious question then.

“I was wondering if you would come live in Lestallum with Gladio and I. You don’t have to answer now, just-”

“Why?”

Ignis’s brows furrowed in a look of extreme disbelief. “Why?”  
“Yea, why would you want me to come live with you guys?” Prompto kept his voice even though his eyes were anywhere other than Ignis’s face.

“Because Prompto, we care about you. We worry about you.”

Maybe he hadn’t done such a good job pretending for them as he thought. “I’m fine, honestly.” He supplied anyways, his tone was anything but believable.

Ignis sighed and Prompto looked up to see him shaking his head. “Please think about it at least. We are better together, all of us.” He didn’t answer and the silence dragged on until Ignis broke it, “We should get going now or we will be driving home in the dark.”

Prompto nodded, realized Ignis couldn’t see it and then said, “Sure. We just have to take pictures of this thing. We’ve been given orders not to try and take it out on our own. Hopefully it’s in the room just past this one. Otherwise we’ll have to report that someone else took it down and then we get nothing for this.”

Simple in and out, that was all this was supposed to be. In, take a picture. Out, get the money. But now Prompto had Ignis’s words tumbling around in his mind along with the whispers that had been easily ignored today.  
_“They just want to make sure you aren’t going to kill yourself, a gun in the mouth or to the side of the head.”_

Prompto stilled himself against the wall of the cave, warily looking around. There were no daemons showing themselves at the moment, but in a way he wasn’t looking for daemons.

“I don’t hear anything in here, we should continue onwards.” Ignis whispered to him from where he was crouching behind a rock. Prompto nodded but he felt distant, like he was miles away from the situation.

Somewhere his mind was in a room, dark and flickering with shadows filtering about. Prompto wasn’t aware of the way that he stepped forward, he was still struggling with bringing his focus back to where it needed to be. He was distantly aware that he needed something, anything to ground himself back to reality. Prompto wasn’t aware of the way the ground gurgled in front of him, oil and smoke rolling into the room as the demon they had been hunting for stepped out. He was only aware that there was a hand on his back, between his shoulder blades and a breath on his neck. It was something physical, grounding him down, but in the worst way. A huff of air, a laugh though it was not voiced.

 _“Poor Prompto, isn’t it sad?”_ The hand moved up to his shoulder, squeezing painfully. _“You know as well as I do the only reason they ask for you to live with them is because they don’t want to be the ones to tell Noct that you died.”_

“Shut up.” Prompto growled, whipping around. Ardyn was standing behind him, but if he was a hallucination Prompto didn’t care anymore. He’s so tired of this, of feeling like this, that he didn’t  even pause to think before his guns were in his hands  releasing a barrage of bullets. He heard Ignis calling  his name, this time nothing was distant or far away. Everything was happening _now_ and everything was going to hell.  He didn’t have time to do this the way he would have liked to, so Prompto quickly, painfully, tried to force his panic down until he could get back to it later. Because now thanks to his shots that went nowhere, there was a demon walking towards them with purpose.

“Prompto, I suggest we retreat!” Ignis was yelling at him, skirting around the demon to get behind it. Prompto dodged the long sword that the Ronin had pulled out and his hands hit the ground painfully.

“No, no, we’re good man. I’ll take the picture and then we can go. I’ll be really fast, promise!” Prompto’s hands were shaking as he rolled once more, this time barely to the left and pulled his camera out. He backed up a reasonable distance, as much as he could with a cave wall at his back and a Ronin to his front. Piece of cake, just like he used to. Snap and go. Except, back then, when he lifted his camera up he would see what he wanted to see. Not the smiling face of a man he never wanted to see again. Prompto shook his head, snapping a picture anyways. The Ronin was clear behind Ardyn and if only Prompto could see him then the picture would turn out fine. Everything would turn out _fine_. If he kept telling himself that, it would be true.

Putting his camera down from his eye, Ardyn wasn’t there. Prompto let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. The daemon was stalking closer, leaving Ignis alone while it singled in on Prompto. Trading out his camera for his gun, Prompto brought it up for a quick shot. He was doing good, focusing, trying to edge back to where the entrance was. Prompto was almost back to Ignis, who was steadily tossing daggers like he could do it all day.

Then.

The sword swung too close and Prompto was stumbling, twisting his ankle as he went down. He hit hard, his glasses falling and skittering off into the darkness of the cave. His mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood and he could feel where his teeth had bitten his lip on the way down. Blood dripped down, splashing, as Prompto pushed up onto his hands and knees. The ground under his hands were not longer rocky, but smooth. Cold under his fingertips.

Ignis was shouting again, but Prompto couldn’t  move, couldn’t do anything to stop the bleeding or get up. The feel of the smoothness had his heart beating faster and faster, so fast he thought that any second it would just _stop_. There was a hand on his back, solid and sliding down and back up, almost comforting if he didn’t know who the hand belonged to. Logically, he knew that it wasn’t real. They never had been. But his breaths still came quicker, more shallow. There were only so many times he could have this trick played on him in one day before it became too much. The floor flickered, nauseatingly, back into the cave floor before slipping  back into metal. Clinical was  the word that came to mind and he hated how quickly his mind supplied it.

 _“Your friends will keep dying and you will be alone.”_ Unspoken was the fact that it would always be Prompto's fault that his friends were dead. Prompto squeezed his eyes shut, but the words kept coming. _“I had always thought that it would be Gladio to die next. He is so very reckless with that big sword of his.”_

He knew what was happening, he’d had so many in his life, it was a simple diagnosis. A panic attack. A simple, get your shit together panic attack. If he kept telling himself that then he could stand up and get to Ignis before they were both killed here by a stupid daemon. But his mantra of “Get your shit together, get it together. Get your shit together, stop.” was interrupted by the way that his vision wavered, going black at the edges. He was going to pass out here and there was  no way Ignis could get them both out. He was going to pass out and die. These panicked thoughts naturally did nothing to his already panicking mind and, if possible, his breathing became harder,  faster. Prompto was pretty convinced that he was dying already, his heart was just going to explode then and there.

_“I suppose dear Ignis could be next, it’s only fitting since I failed to kill him back then.”_

Prompto’s legs couldn’t hold him anymore, as much as he wanted to bolt like a rabbit, he was shaking where he stood. He couldn't move, he was frozen in place. The breath was at his ear again, laughing quietly.

 _“What you are is a failure of a normal human being. Oh, but how could you be a failure if you were never human to begin with?”_ Ardyn’s voice was musing in Prompto’s ear and he kept his eyes shut tight, trying and failing to keep out whatever hallucination that was invading his mind this time. But there was the  smell, of old dirt and dust and something worse. Then a touch and that was when Prompto knew he was royally fucked. He hit the ground, eyes squeezed impossibly tighter and hands over his ears. He didn’t want to hear this, not again. Not now.  
_“Saying welcome home feels a bit repetitive at this point.”_

There was another warm laugh in his ear and then the cold on his knees bit harshly and forced his eyes open. Dim lighting and unforgiving metal greeted him. He was back in the Keep. The one place he said he would never go again, the one place he couldn’t pretend didn’t bother him. Because he had tried, a few times back when Noct had first been pulled into that crystal. He had tried to go back and find a way. But walking through those halls, seeing the place that held him for so long and then sleeping in the last place he had ever gotten to sleep with Noctis hurt and brought back too many ghosts to handle.

But now he was here. Home, told so many times that this was home that he almost believed it for a second. And after breathing shallowly for a few moments, feeling the floor beneath him with shaking fingers and realizing that yes this was real, Prompto let out a scream of frustration that tore through him. He knew the hall he was in too, looking ahead he could see the contraption he had been strapped to. Prompto didn’t realize what he was doing until pain exploded in his hand and he found his hands ruined from beating them on the floor.

This pulled another barely contained scream from him. Prompto tucked his ruined hands to his chest protectively, curling around them. He hissed through his teeth, baring his teeth in a completely feral way, anything to keep back anyone or anything coming his way. If he was here, he wouldn’t be able to get out this time. There was no one to save him.

Dimly through this, he could hear someone calling his name. _Ignis._

Oh gods Ignis. Where was he?

Prompto shot up, unsteady, but standing nonetheless and spun around the hallway. “Ignis?” If his voice had cracked, he didn’t care. He needed to find Ignis _now._ Gods, he was so weak.

Prompto took off slowly down the hall, using the walls as support,  hoping to catch sight of the other man. He called again, this time his voice more panicked. He knew he had heard Ignis’s voice, why wasn’t he answering?

  
_“Oh dear…Did you lose your friends again?_ ” A ghost of a breath tickled the hair on the back of Prompto’s neck.

Prompto whipped around and let out a frustrated groan. No one was there. “What do you want from me? Where are you?” He only heard a low laugh behind him again and Prompto shook off the pain in his ankle, jogging back the way he came.

Prompto continued calling Ignis’s name until he was back where he started.

_“You’re wasting your time, I was truly hoping to drag this out a little longer but unfortunately he may die before then and I do wish to see the look on your face when you realize…”_

A scream tore through the air and the air in Prompto’s chest left him so fast that his vision swam momentarily. His heart thudded quickly, heavily in his chest and he was terrified of another panic attack. But as soon as that thought came, he realized where he was. It didn’t help.

He was back in the cave. He hadn’t left, he was still on his knees where he dropped. The ground before him was smattered with too much blood to be from his hands alone and slowly, unbelievingly he looked up, up, up and it was all he could do to keep from falling apart again.

Ignis was before him, feet lifted barely off the ground by a long sword. Prompto had one, two, three seconds of that feeling of overwhelming panic and then there was a sense of cold calm that washed over him. Prompto stood, weakly, aimed and shot the daemon in the face. It didn’t kill it, but it did cause it to turn its head slowly towards him. Prompto shot again, stepping sideways hoping it would get mad enough to want to fight him back. He felt strung out, tired and exhausted physically and mentally, but right now this was what he needed to get past the panic. Saving Ignis, feeling a different kind of fear.

It worked because with a twitch of its long sword, Ignis went flying, a ragdoll in motion until he hit the wall and slid down with a low moan. Then he was still. The next few minutes were a blur for Prompto, all he knew was that he was calm and every shot hit the damn thing in the face. It was a shot from his blaster that ended up killing it. Before he knew it he was stumbling, making his ways to Ignis and falling to his knees at his side.

“Shit, _shit!_ ” Prompto looked over Ignis. It didn’t take a genius to know this was as bad as bad could get without bad equaling dead. Too pale and his eyes closed, he was almost afraid that he _was_ dead before he saw the weak rise of Ignis’s chest. Prompt quickly checked his pockets and found a potion and an elixir. Ignis needed more than this, but this would be enough to get him out of here and possibly even get him to Lestallum where he could patch him up for real. He cracked them both in rapid succession, watching them fizzle over the various cuts and the one that went all the way through. The wound didn’t close, but Prompto sent a quick prayer hoping that it would be enough for the internal damage. Things had gone to hell. There was too much blood and too many panicked thoughts to make sense of what had happened. What Prompto could make out was that Ignis was dying, and it was his fault. He rested his head on Ignis’s chest for a moment, listening to the fluttering heartbeat and knew that it was too weak sounding. He was going to die if Prompto did not get him somewhere fast.

Picking Ignis up, dead weight as he was, Prompto was glad that he had put on a few muscles since they had left Insomnia all those years ago. He wouldn’t have been able to do this then. It was hard as is now. He was glad that they had cleared out the rest of the demons on the way in, the run back to the entrance was far easier than it would have been otherwise. Squinting his eyes in the late afternoon sun, Prompto calculated they had maybe two more hours of light left. If they could just get to the car, they would be safe…

He could make it, he _would_ make it. He wanted desperately to rest, to lay down and forget the day and the words that had been said to him and the things he had seen. But Ignis needed help, as soon as possible. Resolved and squaring his shoulders, Prompto picked his way over the rocks ignoring the pain in his hands and ankle. Skirting around demons with the widest arcs possible, Prompto somehow made it back to his car just as the sun was dipping below the tree line.

The car was outfitted in the same headlights that had been put into the Regalia, anything to help make Prompto’s night driving safer. In this moment, he appreciated Cindy’s kindness way more than he ever had before. He knew the way well enough and for that he was thankful for as well, any road signs that were still up were blurry without his glasses. Through the panicked driving, Prompt was struck with how funny it was that he was worried now about what to do without glasses. He wondered if Lestallum would have contacts and rubbed his eyes. They burned with grit and strain, but still he drove hurried by the low moans he would hear in the back seat. Once in Lestallum, Prompto drove to the emergency clinic and sprinted in, pointing to his car. He shouted, not caring who could hear. They needed to save Ignis _now._

The next few hours were another blur, he sat in a chair, watching as nurses and doctors milled about. He wanted to be angry at the way they seemed so relaxed when he didn’t even know Ignis’s status. In a moment of clarity he realized that he should call Gladio. Pushing down his panic when he realizes that he should have called him hours ago, Prompto breathed heavily before punching the call button with a shaking finger.

“Prompto?”

Fuck.

This was going to be harder than he thought. Just hearing his voice brought Prompto back to warm days and sunshine on his back. Gladio was like that for him. Warmth, safety. He wondered if the concern in Gladio’s voice, the relief that Prompto had called him out of the blue would turn sharp with anger when Prompto told him about Ignis. He sighed, his huff of air making static.

“Gladio uh, hey. Where are you?”

“Are you ok?” The concern was suffocating and Prompto laughed bitterly.

“I messed up. Bad. Um, Iggy is in the hospital. You should come? He’ll need someone when he wakes up.” Prompto waited to hear the other get mad, to yell at him, to tell him he better be gone when he gets there.

Gladio only sighed, heavy and tired. “I’m glad he has you then. I’m pretty far out, but I’ll leave now.”

“You’re going to leave him with the person who caused him to get hurt? Pretty stupid of you dude.” Prompto snapped. “How do you know it wasn’t me who cut him up?” Instantly Prompto’s face lit up, flushing in anger and embarrassment. It wasn’t Gladio’s fault anything was the way it was and yet here he was taking it out on him.

Even then, Gladio didn’t lash out at him. “I know you better than that. You wouldn’t, you want to talk about it? I’m throwing my stuff in the car now but I’ll stay on the phone with you.”

Prompto laughed again, aware that his laughs were becoming more like choked off sobs but he couldn’t stop. He kept going, steamrolling into an argument that he didn’t even want to cause. “Talk about what? The stupid hallucinations or the panic attacks that always seem right around the corner? Both of which happened on the field today. Which, I was aware could happen if I went with someone and I still did it because, fuck, I missed you. I missed him. So I wanted to pretend everything was fine, and I’m obviously not Gladio”. He realized that by the end of his rant, he was yelling and stood panting in the hallway of the hospital. No one had come to investigate thankfully, but Prompto was aware of the silence on the other end of the line. All at once Prompto’s resolved cracked. What little fight he had had in him, gone in the space of a heartbeat. “Oh gods.” Then there were tears streaming down his dirty cheeks and he went to wipe them off only to realize Ignis’s blood was still on his hand. He scrubbed his face with his arm instead. “Gladio, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of that. I’m sorry for almost getting Ignis killed, I’m sorry for yelling at you. I’m-”

“Don’t apologize. We’ll talk when I get there, okay? Stay with Iggy, he needs you right now. The last time he woke up in a hospital, he had just lost his sight. I don’t think he’ll be happy to wake up alone in one again. I’ll be there soon.”

He nodded and hummed, the knowledge that if he talked he would cry. Prompto heard a door slam and knew that Gladio was in the Regalia, undoubtedly ready to speed the whole way there.

“And Prompto?”

Prompto had been about to hit end and paused at the sound of his name. His throat was tight and it took a try to get his voice to work and even then all he could manage was “Yea?”.

“I love you.”

Gladio hung up after that, leaving Prompto to stare at the darkened phone. He stood for a minute longer before he stuffed his phone in his back pocket. Stay with Ignis. He could do that. He glanced at his hands again and set off to find a bathroom to clean up in.

Once in one, he looked at himself in the mirror. Shit. He looked bad. Mussed hair, blood streaked across his cheek, obviously not his. There was nothing he could do for his clothes which were dusty and covered in blood from carrying Ignis. He washed his hands, carefully, tenderly as he realized that not all of the blood was from the other man. He had bashed his hands on the floor, hard enough to draw blood and bruise knuckles. Prompto counted himself lucky that he hadn’t broken anything in his fit. Washing his hands cleaned off the dried blood and now fresh blood trickled from the cuts in a river down the sink. He ripped off the leather band covering his barcode, the thing was ruined. He hesitated for a second before dropping it into the trashcan, he would try and find something to cover it later. He was going to need this looked at by a professional, and if he was going to do that he might as well get his ankle looked at as well. Prompto sighed and wrapped his hands up with paper towels. Stepping out of the bathroom, Prompto made his way down the quiet halls in search of a nurse or doctor. Finding one was relatively easy, as was the process of wrapping up his hands. As the nurse wrapped it, Prompto willed himself not to flinch away from the touch. He was given crutches that he knew he wouldn’t use, but accepted them with a smile anyways. He left them in the hallway outside the room and went back to where the first nurse had left him when he first had come to the clinic. Fuck, how many hours had that been? What was happening with Ignis? He flexed his lightly bandaged hands and set out to find someone. 

Another nurse found him before he found the hallway he had started off in. She looked relieved to see him and hurried to him.

“You came in with the guy in glasses right?” She asked, the words tumbling out of her mouth. He nodded, suddenly afraid of what she would say. Thankfully she just led the way to a room a little bit down the hall with a quick explanation that Ignis was fine.

“The internal damage was greatly reduced when you used the potion and elixir, thankfully all we really had to do was stitch up the wound. You saved your friend.” She finished with a smile and left him in the doorway of Ignis’s room.

For all of his determination to stay with him, Prompto was nervous stepping into the room. He didn’t know if he was relieved or saddened that Ignis was asleep though. He knew that a talk was needed between them and as he crossed the room to sit in the chair beside the bed, Prompto couldn’t help but cringe. Ignis would definitely take back the offer to live with them again. And just when Prompto was ready to agree to it too. He wasn’t sure when he came to that decision but it probably happened sometime on the way back when he looked in the mirror and felt that sharp pain in his chest. The memory of seeing Ignis so pale and still in the backseat had Prompto leaning forward and gingerly taking Ignis’s hand into his own. He didn’t want to lose any more people in his life. Dying alone and tormented by what he saw would make him lose everyone. Prompto didn’t want that. But he also didn’t know if he was ready to take such a painful step. There were still the insecurities, the usual “Are they asking me out of pity or do they really care?” but now with the new twist of, “Will they want me once they realize how fucked up I really am?”

Prompto wasn't sure how long he sat there, staring at Ignis’s sleeping form before his eyes slipped shut and he too was fast asleep. His sleep was plagued by strange dreams. They were a confusing mix of colors and feelings that left him uneasy and  when he finally awoke, blinking in the morning light, trying to remember what they were left him grasping at straws. Prompto looked down at Ignis and snatched back his hand as if it had been burnt. Ignis was awake and looking up at him.

“Did I wake you up?” Prompto asked quietly. Ignis shook his head then nodded to the window.

“It’s past the time I usually wake up.” Ignis said, and then,“Prompto-”

Here it came, the thing he knew was going to be asked. Prompto swore to himself that he wouldn’t lie, that he would tell the whole truth no matter how terrifying it would be. Ignis deserved that at least, as did Gladio.

“Prompto,” Ignis began again and Prompto tensed. He was going to answer but he was afraid of the anger that would be directed at him. “Are you okay?”

Well, this wasn’t what he thought was getting asked at all. Prompto stammered out something that he hoped was a yes, but Ignis only raised an eyebrow at him. “I mean, my hands are banged up but they are fine. My ankle was twisted too. But really, you had it way worse than me. How are you?” He asked leaning back towards Ignis.

“I’m tired, but-”

“Oh! You’re both awake!”

Prompto started at the sound of another voice, but noticed that Ignis only cocked his head towards the door. It was a woman in scrubs and she came forward with a warm smile.

“How are you feeling Mr. Scientia?”

Ignis gave a wan smile, “I was answering that question when you came in actually. I feel tired but otherwise I feel fine. Banged up, but fine.”

The doctor nodded and came over to the bed. “I’m going to lift your shirt so that I can see your wound.” Ignis allowed her to do so and she continued talking, “Your wound only required a few stitches, your back was mostly healed by the time you got here as well. The potion and elixir your friend administered to you saved you from bleeding out. It looks fine, no infection or anything. It will sadly leave a scar.” She dropped the shirt back down and smiled up at Ignis. “But a fighter such as yourself is used to them I suppose?”

Prompto flinched, gaze instinctively flickering up at the scarring that surrounded Ignis’s eyes but was surprised to see that Ignis didn’t look upset at all. In fact he was giving the doctor his own smile.

“I do have a few, as we all do these days. Thank you for everything. When will I be able to leave, not that I am eager to leave your hospitality I imagine that you have others who need this room far more than I.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong. The hunters here are always in need of some sort of medical attention. But please don’t let that decide when you leave. You could stay here and rest as much as you need.”

Ignis hummed and pushed his glasses up, reminding Prompto once again that he was going to need to find a replacement for his own.

“If all I need is bedrest, I would like to do it in my own house please.”

The doctor nodded and left saying that she would get the necessary paperwork in order. Within half an hour, Prompto had paid the hospital and they were now making their way home in Prompto’s truck. The streets were more for foot traffic but with Ignis being injured, he didn’t want to tire the man out more than needed.

The drive was silent, and Prompto found he couldn’t read the atmosphere. Was it tense because he could imagine the thoughts running through Ignis’s mind? Or was it peaceful and relaxed? Prompto felt on edge, ready for anything to happen. For better or for worse, nothing did. Not on the drive there, not when they parked and made their way up to Ignis’s apartment. It was quiet even when they got inside and toed off shoes and boots alike. It wasn’t until Ignis was in bed that the silence was broken by Prompto himself.

“Do, uh, do you need anything Iggy?” Prompto asked hovering over Ignis.

Ignis fixed Prompto with a look and then nodded to the corner where an armchair sat. Prompto took the cue and quickly ran to get it. It was heavy, but he managed not to drag it across the floor all the way to Ignis’s bedside. Sitting heavily, Prompto found that the chair was comfortable and waited for Ignis to begin talking. Ignis seemed to be putting his thoughts in order, the silence stretching into something nearly suffocating. Prompto found himself wanting to hum, pat his legs, anything just to make some sort of noise. But he remained still, allowing Ignis this moment. He deserved it.

Finally, “I do not want to push your privacy Prompto, but, something happened back there.” and Prompto forced himself not to tense immediately. He had known this was coming and he had already promised himself that he would talk to them.

“What do you want to know?” He asked. If Ignis was shocked or surprised that Prompto seemed willing to open up, not a single emotion flickered across his face to betray that.

“I suppose saying everything would be too easy.”

Prompto shifted in the chair and waited for the rest of whatever Ignis was going to say before realizing that there wasn’t anything else. He had been around Ignis long enough to know when to read between the lines and his mind filled in the blanks usually well enough, so he ran his hands through his hair and tucked his knees up to his chest. Where to even begin? Usually the beginning is a good place, but what was classified as the beginning?

As usual, his mouth went faster than his mind and before he realized it he was talking. “I see him. Everywhere, almost daily.” Prompto realized he was shaking, just from that alone. But now that he had started he couldn’t stop, “He’s usually harmless. Just talks to me. It’s all in my head though, like, I get that. Just sometimes, I can’t take it y’know?” Prompto paused to take a breath, looking around the room as if the man in question would suddenly appear. “So the other day, I didn’t bite my tongue. _Obviously_ . You knew that. I wasn’t very subtle, was I? He was just _there_ in the kitchen, chilling. That’s what he does.” Prompto was talking fast now and he ran out air quicker than he could fill up his lungs. He realized at this point he was practically panting, gripping his arms tightly.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Ignis asked softly, scrunching up his face in what? Concern? Anger? Prompto couldn’t tell, but he laughed anyways.

“Tell you? We had too much to do Ignis. People to save, to keep alive until Noct can come back. You didn’t need someone in your party who you were worried was three seconds away from shooting his shadow.”

“But you did Prompto.”

Prompto nodded sadly, Ignis was right. It wasn’t the first time he had done something like that either, shooting at imaginary Ardyn’s hoping, perversely, that it was the real one and he could have the satisfaction of watching him crumple to the ground. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would feel good. Maybe it would make Ardyn mad enough to make him kill Prompto. Which, was a pretty fucked up thought in hindsight he realized.

“He was in the cave with us. Or, at least my mind thought he was. It seemed so real that time.” Prompto said. His voice dropped low and he didn’t know if he had said the last part for Ignis or himself.

Ignis shifted on the bed and frowned. “What was he doing while he was there?”

Shrugging Prompto said “What he always does. He just… slinks around. Talking shit. Telling me that I’m nothing and that you guys would be better off without me. It isn’t anything he hasn’t told me before.”

If possible, Ignis’s frown deepened. “And do you believe him?”

“Depends on the day. Kinda hard not to.”

“I see. And what was it that caused the meltdown?”

Prompto flinched, meltdown always felt like a word used to mean ‘overdramatic fit’. “I don’t know why, but for some reason this time _he_ ” Prompto never said his name out loud, it felt bad enough just thinking it, “and memories of my time in the Keep kept popping up. I really…” Prompto trailed off, he was going to tell Ignis but he needed a moment to collect himself. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, “I felt like I was really there. I could feel the floors and even the air was the same for a moment. I felt like I was walking around.”

Prompto buried his head into his arms and stayed there for a moment. He was doing his best not to let the feeling overwhelm him and bring him back there. Ignis gave him his moment and for that Prompto was grateful. “I want to live here with you guys Iggy. I do. I miss you, I miss _us_ , but I’m afraid that I’m gonna hurt someone.”

“There are people who can help, Prompto.” Ignis said after a moment. “I can recommend one from personal use.”

Prompto looked up slowly. “Personal use? You went to therapy?”

“It wasn’t my choice,” Ignis said wryly. “Gladio forced me. I had nightmares, insecurities. No one gets over the things we went through just like that Prompto. If you are seeing things that aren’t there, you really should go. It helped me more than I could possibly say. And, if you were to move in with us you would always have our support. Ah, no I worded that wrong. You will always have our support no matter what you decide to do. We only want what is best for you Prompto.”

Prompto thought for a few moments, letting the information sink in. They still wanted him there, at least Ignis did. He would have to wait and see what Gladio said. But Ignis wanted him, wanted to help him. The relief was overwhelming, threatening to choke him.

“Thanks Iggy.” He whispered, afraid to use his voice.

Ignis nodded and sighed, sinking down into his pillows. His face was pale and Prompto reached out and softly touched the hand that was laying on top of the covers.

“Get some sleep buddy. I’ll be here ok?”

Ignis nodded gratefully and within a moment he was asleep. Prompto sat, simply watching him breathe. It was, for the first time in a long while, the first time that Prompto felt truly _good._ He was wanted. He could get help, to fix whatever was wrong with his brain. No more seeing phantom Ardyn’s.

Prompto was nodding off himself when he remembered that he should probably check the pictures he had taken of the Ronin daemon. He stretched his tired limbs and padded into the kitchen where he had left his camera when they had first gotten there. A quick check of the time showed that it was late afternoon. Gladio should be there soon. He powered on his camera and settled back into the chair by Ignis’s bed.

Ignis stirred, cracking open his eye. “Prompto?” He called softly.

“Yea it’s me, don’t worry. I’m sti- what the fuck.” Prompto cut himself off, gripping his camera so tightly the plastic creaked.

“Prompto?” Ignis was struggling to sit up, a hand on his side. “Prompto what is it?”

“Ignis, it’s _him._ Oh my god he’s in my picture.”

And he was. Ardyn was standing in Prompto’s picture, the self satisfied smile he always wore staring at him.

The camera dropped from numb fingers, shattering into the armigear a split second before it would have hit the ground. Prompto stared at his hands, these hands had actually taken a picture of Ardyn.

“Fuck, _what the_ _fuck_. It’s him Ignis. He’s actually in my picture, oh gods he was really there. Unless this is just another thing in my head.” He barked a laugh, aware that it was too loud and broken to be a real laugh.  Prompto’s breath came out in short gasps, he didn’t want to see what look Ignis was giving him so he drove the palm of his hands into his eyes. It didn’t help, he already knew the look Ignis was giving him.

“Ignis, why is this so hard?” Prompto could feel tears starting to slip past the palms of his hands, quicker and quicker.

It wasn’t too much longer before he was sobbing, hiccuping while the words got stuck in his throat. “Am I always just going to be property to him? Not even human, always an MT? Is that why he won’t leave me alone? Oh gods- Oh gods, how many times was he actually there? How many times was it just in my head?”

Prompto was lost to his emotions now, gripping his arms with his nails and sobbing deep shaking sobs. He wasn’t sure how long he cried, blubbering words that he couldn’t even understand. When he thought he had cried it all out, it would start over again. Years of pain, loneliness, of feeling like this built up like a wall of self hatred only to crumble around one of the two people he absolutely did not want to cry in front of. Who was he to cry like this? Nothing? An MT? Was he even the right MT? Would he even know if he wasn’t? His breath caught in his throat at that thought. Would he know? Would they know? He cried over his existence, over the doomed existence of all the other MT’s. Then, as always when he did end up breaking down came the guilt of actually breaking down. The feeling of horribleness that comes from breaking down when someone else is far worse off than you.

As in all things, his crying eventually came to an end and he found one last singular tear making tracks down his already stained cheeks. He took a shuddering breath in and blinked in the dim lighting of the room. How long had he cried? Coming back to himself, Prompto realized that Ignis had put a hand on his thigh, a gentle presence to remind Prompto that he wasn’t alone. Prompto sniffled, embarrassed now that he was all cried out and emotionally drained.

“If you had asked us, we could have told you.” Ignis was musing, doing what he always did in the midst of one of Prompto’s panic attacks. Ignis was a master of using his humor, dry as it was to get through to him.

“Told me what?”

Ignis moved his hand weakly, opening his palm to take Prompto’s. He laced his fingers through Ignis’s and squeezed gently. This contact was more healing than any potion could have given him in that moment.

 

“That you are human. You have been changing, all along. You smile less, you don’t joke like you used to and you are far too quiet to be the Prompto I first met. But you are stronger now. You have seen things, done things you never thought you would do. You have the scars to prove you are alive. I don’t know if he was really with us, there in that cave. But we can have Gladio look at the picture if you want, to confirm it. Prompto, not all change is good nor is it bad. But, that is the thing. You are important to me no matter what happens, no matter who you think you are. It’s ok to admit you aren’t alright, I know that I am not. I still-” Ignis took a breath and squeezed Prompto’s hand gently, “I dream of him and I dream of Noct. Losing Gladio, losing you. Our scars prove we are alive as much as breathing does. Although, there are a few moment’s in which I suppose _not_ breathing could show you are alive. In fact, is it not you who said that imperfection can be breathtaking at times? Whether it be physical imperfections or the kind that no one else can see. We’ll get better Prompto.”

  
Prompto was taken aback, that was the most he had ever heard the man speak that wasn’t a scolding and he said as much. Ignis only laughed and then it hit Prompto what he had really said.

“Wait. That night? You were listening?” Prompto gasped, “I thought you were asleep!”

“I thought you would prefer if I were, so you didn’t have to worry about touching or anything you were uncomfortable with.”

Prompto would have laughed if the moment weren’t so sweet, “Ignis, I swear to the Six. Please let me kiss you.”

Ignis nodded, a smile pulling at his lips. Despite the fact that Ignis gave him permission, it had been awhile since he had been with any of his lovers and there was a hesitance in the way that Prompto leaned forward to kiss Ignis. Even in pain and in his bed, he seemed strong and infallible. But Prompto knew the truth. Ignis was just as human as he was, and it was evident in the way that Ignis’s face had softened in that way of his when he was amused but hopelessly in love. It gave Prompto the courage to lean forward the rest of the way to press a soft kiss to Ignis’s lips. Prompto closed his eyes, tried to hold back more tears this time of happiness, and felt Ignis smile into the kiss as if sensing this.

“You are not alone in this Prompto. Not in this, not in waiting. You will always have us.” Ignis said quietly when Prompto parted. His response was to bury his head in the crook of Ignis’s neck.

“I’m sorry.” He murmured after a moment.

“For?”

“I’m gross right now and I’m rubbing snot on your shirt.”

Ignis laughed and ran a hand through Prompto’s tangled locks. “I think it can be forgiven this one time.”

It wasn’t long before Prompto gave up trying to sit in the chair beside him and ended up curled carefully on Ignis’s unhurt side.

“Did you call Gladio?” Ignis murmured, Prompto couldn’t see his face but by his voice he knew Ignis wasn’t far from sleep. Prompto wasn’t far off himself and answered with a simple nod. Then, he was dead to the world sleeping heavy and boneless.  

When he woke up, there was quiet voices filling the room. His first instinct was to bolt upright and fight whoever was in his room, but the warm feeling under him made him relax. He was with Ignis. Shifting slightly, Prompto yawned and cracked open an eye.

“Heya Gladio.” He said voice rough with sleep. Prompto wasn’t too surprised to find himself curled up on the big guy, Gladio had probably had to rescue Ignis from his cuddling. Amber eyes peered down at him, serious for half a second before crinkling in the corners as a large grin split across his face. Without warning he was bundled up into a hug that was both warm and comforting, everything Prompto craved. There was an inhale of breath, like Gladio was trying to memorize everything about him and with a guilty start Prompto realized it was because Gladio wasn’t sure when he’d see Prompto again.

“Missed you too.” Prompto murmured into Gladio’s chest. Gladio pulled back enough to scan Prompto’s face, satisfied by whatever he saw there he nodded.

As a way of explanation, Gladio shrugged and then “Was afraid I was never going to get to see you again.”

There in the back of his mind, a voice too much like Ardyn whispered _“All he would have to do is find an MT, you’re replaceable.”_

Prompto flinched, but only slightly before a hand touched his back. Prompto turned his head and found Ignis looking in his direction with a frown.

“No matter what you’ve been told by him or any other who does not realize your worth is not worth your time. Go take a shower, feel better Prompto. Remember all that we have talked about.”

Prompto looked over the man, taking in how much better he was looking and then back at Gladio who was studying him. Prompto was wary and almost wanted to know how long he had been asleep after Gladio showed up and just how much Ignis and he had talked. More importantly, what did they talk about? Prompto clambered stiffly off Gladio with a nod, it didn’t take much to know what it was with the way that Gladio was looking at him.

“Prompto.” He was halfway out of the room when Gladio called him back. He turned with a hum and was surprised to see the smile on Gladio’s face. “Love you chocobo.”

Prompt huffed a laugh at the old nickname and turned to head down the hallway. He could hear the quiet murmuring of conversation beginning again behind him until the bathroom door clicked behind him. For once, in the hot steam of the shower, feeling it beat down on his body Prompto didn’t have whispers curling around in his mind. Instead, he thought of what he and Ignis had talked about. He thought of his time in Hammerhead. It was harder to be here, he wouldn’t be able to hide away from the world when things got difficult. But was that a bad thing? Getting help? Actually being alive and not dead in a ditch somewhere for when Noctis came back? He would like to be more like his old self before then. He didn’t need Noctis looking at him like he did after he was rescued. Prompto stepped out of the shower and opened Ignis’s cabinet. There, where it would have been in Noct’s own bathroom was a small case. Prompto didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After all this time Ignis had a pair of his contacts. Popping them in brought clarity to the world, but his thoughts remained muddled.

Dressing quickly after his shower, Prompto stood in the hallway with his headcocked. He didn’t hear the quiet sounds of talking anymore and made his way towards the living room. No one was in there either. Prompto felt a pang of loneliness hit him as he wandered to the window. What was he supposed to do now? In another life maybe he would have taken up residence on the couch and pulled out his phone. It didn’t feel right playing games anymore. Maybe he would have pulled out his camera, but he knew it was dead on the counter. Maybe in another life, he would have made his way to the bedroom and curled up next to Ignis and Gladio and slept safe in their arms. Soft padding from the bedroom caught his attention before his train of thoughts could continue down the dark road they were going.

Prompto turned from the window to see Gladio was standing in the hallway, simply staring at him. His heart sped up quickly as he realized that Gladio was probably there so Prompto wouldn’t feel awkward. But under the scrutiny, he felt himself blush red and couldn't hold the eye contact for long. “Sorry.” He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, everything probably, but he needed to do it.

Gladio came forward, enveloping him into a crushing hug that left Prompto laughing breathlessly into his chest for the second time that morning. Gods this was nice.

“Don’t apologize for anything.” Gladio murmured, voice thick with emotion. “I’ve missed this, just holding you close like this.”

Prompto laughed again, quieter now, tapping Gladio’s arm to signal he wanted down.  “You knew were I was, it wasn’t like I was hiding. Could have gave me a hug at any point.” He knew it was a lie, but lying like this was what he did best.

Gladio pulled away, eying him just enough to force the fading blush back onto Prompto’s cheeks. “You were hiding from us. Giving you space wasn’t the right thing to do, we thought you needed it though. Time to decompress without feeling like you had to keep up a front around us.” He shook his head and then smiled before bringing Prompto close again. “We won’t do that again. That’s a promise.” Gladio paused for a moment, hesitance was not a look Prompto associated with him usually. But there it was, clearly on in his expression and how he held himself. “I saw the picture.”

Prompto stiffened, “What did you see?”

“Him.”

Prompto blinked. “Really…? It wasn’t, you know, that I’m crazy?”

Gladio shook his head. “No. You’re not crazy. You’ve been hurt, and you need to get help, but that’s not a bad thing. Ignis told me everything and I don’t blame you. I will blame you though if you let this continue. Problems don’t just go away if you leave them alone. It may seem like it, but they are still there affecting you in ways you didn’t know they could. So tomorrow you and I are going to walk down to the place that Ignis and I go.”

“We’ll all heal together, no more being alone.”

Gladio turned to where Ignis stood pale in the doorway of the living room. Gladio gave Ignis a smile that was filled with love, and crossed the room to give Ignis a gentle kiss on the cheek. Prompto could just barely hear Gladio’s rumbling voice murmur “You shouldn’t be up yet.” Ignis gave a wry smile before pulling away and holding out a hand to Prompto.

“Like I am one to stay in bed. Not when we are all together again.We will face the dawn together, all of us.”

“Now just comes the hardest part, waking Sleeping Beauty.” Gladio chuckled and shook his head, but it was the kind of teasing that was all love and no bite.

Prompto laughed again, reveling in the feeling it gave him. It had been too long since he had felt this way. It would be hard, getting help and being loved again. But for them, he would do it. More importantly, he would do it for himself. Because he deserved it. He walked forward and let himself be held by the other and that feeling, the feeling of being loved and safe and warm was there, present and taking root deep in his chest in a place he thought was broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. That's all folks. Honestly though, thank you for reading and sorry this update took so long?? I know I promised I would update once a week but ahhh... I completely lost the motivation for this and I just hated everything about it. So, rather than look at it any longer I went ahead and uploaded it! But, regardless of my feelings on the matter, I hope you guys liked this chapter! I hope to write some new stuff in the future, I have a million ideas~  
> Thank you, feel free to kudo or comment!


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